Apparatus for handling loose materials



Aug. 14, 192&

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c. E. DAVIS APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIALS Filed July 15, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 reference to the accompanying Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. DAVIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISQASSIGNOB TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIALS.

Application filed July 15,1925. Serial No. 43,671.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling loose material in mines, and more particularly to the type of apparatus disclosed in my prior application bearing Serial Number 638,232, filed May 11, 1923, which apparatus includes'a draft operated scraper, and a mobile head frame capable of being readily'moved from place to place and adapted to provide a lateral support for the scraper so asto direct it into a p le of loose material While it is {gathering its load, and other guiding devices are provided for directing the movement of the scraper in predetermined angular courses toward and away from the point of dis- The principal object of tllls invention is to provide means in cooperation with the moving head frame whereby the scraper mav be turnedand its direction of movement controlled during its reciprocable movement between the head frame and the point of discharge.

The invention maybe best understood by drawings lllustrating one form in which it may be anbodied, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mobile head frame including a portion of my improved scraper controlling apparatus;

Figure 2 is a verticalsection taken longitudinally of the machine shown in. ure l;

F igure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line of Figure 1; i I

Figure, 4 is a sectional View taken on line 1-i of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a View showing the relation of the scraper controlling apparatus in one position thereof;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure fi but showing the controlling apparatus in another position;

F igure 7 is a detail of the power connection between the tail rope drum and the scraper driving ring;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are plan views illustrating a typical installation of the apparatus in a mine room; and

Figure 11 is another view of a mine room showing one arrangement of the control ropes for the scraper.

The invention is particularly adapted for to gather the same.

controlling the movement of a scraper loader as used in the room and pillar system of mining or in other similar systemswherein it is desirable to change the course ofrmove ment of the scraper intermediate the position where the load is gathered and its point of discharge. For instance, when used in the room and pillar system of mining, as shown in the diagrams, the scraper gathers in its load adjacent the working face 2 at one end of a mine room 1 and its pathof movement is then changed as it approaches one side 3 of the room and is then withdrawn in a path substantially parallel with said side wall or rib 3. One of the prob lems heretofore encountered in the opera tion of scraper loaders is to provide means for controlling the movement of the scraper during its turning operation so that it may be quickly turned without danger of upsetting the scraper or producing such strains and shocks on the controlling apparatus fixed in the mine as to require excessively cumbersome holding devices. It will be understood that in mining operations such as herein contemplated, it is highly desirable to provide controlling devices having minimum weight, and requiring minimum labor in operation and in transportation thereof from place to place.

My invention contemplates the use of a scraper 15, herein shown as bottomless, and provided with a head rope l6 and a tail rope 17 for reciprocable operation In conjunction with the scraper I provide a head frame 4 arranged in position to provide lateral bearing for the scraper wherebyv the latter is directed into the pile of loose material broadly disclosed in my prior application *earing Serial Number 638,232, filed May 11, 1923.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of a controlling device for assisting in the turning movement of the scraper, this device being operable under the power of the motor devices on the head frame'and in the present instance comprising a rotatable power drum 1&0 associated with a control rope M1 and a sheave at the far end thereof connected with the head rope 16. In order to understand the invention however, a brief description of the head Such a head frame frame and its manner of cooperation with the draft ropes of the scraper will be hrst presented.

A main frame 10 is supported on a pa r of tractor wheels 12, 12, within the main frame, and av steering wheel 13, pivotally supported at the rearend of the name to steer the apparatus. In the term shown the main frame comprises a forward end section 11' substantially circular in form and a. rearwardly extending section having a bracket 26 supporting the steering post 24 ot the steering wheel 13. A steering handle 28 0t anv suitable form is connected to the upper end of the steering post 27.

Power devices are mounted on the head frame for positively moving the scraper in its gathering or digging movementabout the frame, these power devicesprefcrably being operable and controllable independently ot the head rope. 1n the form shown this scraper moving mechanism includes an arm 30, and a projection 34, both extend ng laterally from the head frame and carried on an annular driving ring 3 mounted concentric with the circular head frame 14. The arm 30 is provided with a bearing shoe '31 adjacent its outer end for engaging the rear end of the scraper and also carries a guide or sheave 32 for engaging the tail rope 17. 1 he projection 31 is located forwardly of the arm 80, and adapted to engage a hooked portion 34 at the forward end of the scraper, (see Figure 1).

Suitable gearing connections are provided between the prime mover comprising a motor 10 and the driving rings 33 so as to move the scraper at a relatively low speed about the head frame. In the form shown said ring is adapted to be driven through the medium of the tail rope drum 18, and a ratchet device which provides a driving connection between the drum and ring whereby they are rotated in unison by power applied on the drum.

The low speed connections to the drum 18 and driving ring 33 will now be described. The motor +10 on the head frame may be of any kind, as for instance, an electric motor having a. driving shaft 41, as shown in Figure 2. This shaft is provided with two driving pinions 42 and 43. The driving pinion 42 is meshed with the gear 4% associated with one member 45 of a double clutch mechanism 416. The driving pinion -13 is connected through the idler gear 47 with a gear 18 11950- ciated with another member 19 of the do ble clutch mechanism. These clutch members 45 and -19 are loosely mounted on a shaft and are adapted to be selectively engaged by a par of oppositely disposed cone clutch members 58, 5f), feathered on the shaft 55 and movable in opposite directions to engage one or the other of said clutch members. The clutch member 49, being driven through the idler gear 17 as described, affords reversed movements of the two clutch members 15 and 19 respective to each other so as t0 drive the shaft 55 in opposite directions, as desired.

The low speed connection includes either of the coacting clutch members of the double clutch lllQCllZiliiSlll 1U just described, the shaft 55 extending rearwardly from this double clutch mechanism having a worm 7T thereon engaging a coacting worm gear 78 on a horizontal shaft 79. A gear St) is keyed on the latter shaft and is engaged with a gear 81 on the parallel shaft 82. The gear 81. is pro vided with sliding clutch members 81, 8-1 ex tending therethrough, and movable by a shifter member 85 into driving engagement with a beveled pinion S6. Said pinion is meshed with a beveled gear 70 carrying a spur gear 72 meshed with a toothed periphery 73 of the upper drum flange.

The ratchet device connecting rope drum 18 with arm 30 may be of any suitable construction. For example, a pawl is pivotally mounted on said arm adjacent the lower drum flange 36 and is adapted to engage in a series of notches 91, 311, formed about said flange. The pawl is under tension of a suitable spring 92. The arrangement: is such thatwhen the tail rope drum is driven at low speed in a direction to unwind the rope, the pawl 90 engages one of the notches 91, and the driving ring 33, which carries arm 30 and retaining member 31 will be rotated in unison with the drum to advance the sc aper about the head frame. Simultaneously. the tail rope will be unwound from the drum. The scraper is thus positively propelled at low speed, and by reason of the reduction gearing, the power applied to the driving ring 33 is correspondingly increased so as t6 force the scraper into the loose material during its movement about the head frame.

In the form shown, a high speed driving connection to the tail rope drum 18 is also provided from shaft 55 through the followmg mechanism. A gear (35 keyed on shaft 55 is meshed with a. gear (50 keyed on a parallel shaft (37. Sliding clutch (38 is feathered onthe latter shaft, and is adapted in one position to o 'ierativcly engage a bevel pinion (it) meshed with the beveled gear 70. This last named gear also comprises a part of the low speed connection, before described, and from this point on both hi h and low speed connections to the drum die the same, including the upright shaft 71 and spur gear 72 meshed with toothed l P. V flange id ot the tail rope drum 18. Bv

means of the high speed gearing just described the drum 18 may be driven in a. direction to wind in the tail rope at a relatively high speed after the scraper has been unloaded and is being returned empty to a loading position at the head frame.

The power connections for propelling the head frame need not be described in detail as they form no part of the present invention.

Having now described the construction of the head frame the details of my improved controlling mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention will now be described in connection therewith. A second rope drum 140 is mounted on the head frame and adapted to have a control rope 141 wound thereon. This control rope is adapted to extend from the drum to a fixed guide device located at a point remote from the head frame where it is desired to change the course of movement of the scraper. In the diagrams shown in Figures 8 to 11 a typical arrangement of the head frame and control rope is illustrated as applied to the room and pillar system of mining. In these figures a room 1 is being formed by advancmg a working face 2 by successively dislodging and. breaking down said working face into a pile of loose material as indicated at 125 and loading out each successive pile by means of the scraper 15, As is often the case in loading out a room it is desirable to confine the path of movement of the scraper along one side or wall 3 of the room since the main portion of the room may be occupied by props or by. waste materials. Accordingly, the path of movement of the scraper must be confined within somewhat limited range along the working face and then at an angle thereto along the side wall 3 toward the entrance ofthe room (not shown). It will be understood that the head rope 16 is attached to a hoist or winding device suitably arranged at or near the entrance of the mine room and said head. rope being trained over suitable guides to direct the movement of the scraper to a desired point of unloading as for instance into mine cars at the room entrance. The arrangement. of the head rope hoist, as well as the unloading or discharging apparatus need not be illustrated herein, as they form no part of the present invention.

Referring further to the control line 141 it will be seen that this line extends to the corner of a room formed by cutting of the side wall 3 and the working face 2 in which 1 corner the scraper is turned reciprocably in its movement. A preferable arrangement of the guiding devices for this corner comprises a pair of sheaves 146, 147, spaced vertically on a jack 148 which may be of the usual form, the upper sheave 146 being raised, above the level of the ground suflieiently to permit the scraper to pass thereunder, as clearly shown in Figure 11.

As shown herein, the control line 141 is also trained about a guide 149 arranged at the forward end of the head frame 4 although desired. The free end of the control line 141 is provided with a guide sheave 150 through which the head rope 16 is trained.

This guide sheave has permanent connection with the head rope in all positions of the scraperv A deflector guide 155 is preferably positioned a sufiicient distance from the working face 2 and the side wall 3 to permit the scraper to be passed thereabout as shown in Figures 8 to, 10. This deflector guide serves to confine the position of the draft ropes along the path of movement of the scraper, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring now to the means for driving and controlling the control drum 140 it will be seen that this drum is rotatably mounted on a stud 160 which in turn is mounted eccentrically on an upright shaft 161 on the top of the frame portion 25. The shaft 7 1, power driven through mechanism as heretofore set forth, extends upwardly within the periphery of the drum and is provided with a friction pulley 162 adapted to having driving engagement with the inner surface 163 of said drum. A control lever 164 is connected withthe upper end of the stud 160 and extends rearwardly into position to be manually operated, as shown in Figure 1. A brake 165 is mounted on the frame in position to engage an outer surface 166 of the drum. In Figures 5 and 6 it will be observed that by means of an eccentric 160 the drum 140may be moved bodily into 6 the drum may, he. swung into another pcsitionto provide a. driving engagement with the frictional drum 162. A third, or neutral position is also possible, in which the drum may rotate freely.

The use and operation of the apparatus above described is as follows:

The head frame 4 is moved into position adjacent the toe of the pile of loose material 125 to he removed or transported, as shown in Figure 8. The head rope 16 is connected with the winding engine (not shown) suitably located in the usual manner to move the scraper to the unloading position, as for instance at the entrance of the room. The

scraper is pulled rearwardly to its initial loading position by means of the tail rope 17 untilit engages the head frame 4 in a posi-' driving ring 33 upon which the arm is carried is then driven through ratchet mechanism in unison with the tail rope drum 18 so as to force the scraper into the pile of loose material as it moves forward about the curved portion 14 of the head frame. During this loading movement of the scraper it is usually desirable to place a slight tension on the head rope 16 by means of the winding engine so as to take up the slack therein. The control line 111 and sheave 150 are held in position by engaging the brake device on the winding drum 140 controlling the position of the head rope 16, as shown in Figure 8. It will be observed that the operating mechanism for this control line drumis at the hand of the operator of the head frame and the position of the guide sheave 150 is within his vision so that said control line may be slaekened or tightened at will by manipulating the controlling devices on the winding drum Ill). \Vhen the scraper is moved about the head frame into position substantially parallel with the working face 2 it is ready to be drawn out under tension of the head rope 16. The scraper may then be moved at a relatively higher speed under power of the head rope hoist and accord ingly the low speed gearing connections on the head frame are disconnected, thereby permitting the tail rope drum 18 to rotate freely as the tail rope is paid out. The scraper is thus permitted to move along the working face toward the control sheave 150, the latter being held in the desired position by means of the control rope 141. Under ordinary circumstances it is sufficient to hold the control rope stationary by means of the brake, but it may be varied at any time by slackening o'r tightening the control rope to deflect the scraper slightly either toward or away from the working face 2. lVhen the scraper approaches the side wall 3 however, it reaches a position where it may be turned about the deflector 155 and into a path parallel with the side wall 3. This turning movement may be made slowly by gradually releasing the brake on control line drum 1 10 until the for rd end of the scraper engages the guide 150 at the end of said control line. The control rope 1451 is then slackened entirely by freeing the brake on the rope drum 110 thereby permitting said control line to be paid. out freely as the scraper advances along the side wall 3 of the room toward the en trance, as shown in Figure 9. The scraper at this point has completed its turning movement and is being pulled out at high speed by means of the head rope 16, the guide rope 141 being paid out to follow the scraper in its outward journey. This forward movement is continued until the scraper reaches the room entrance or place where the material is to be unloaded therefrom in the usual manner.

The return movement of the scraper to its initial position is a reverse of that already described, it being understood that the head frame may be advanced from time to time to gather a capacity load each trip as the loading operation proceeds. In the return movement however it is necessary to apply power to the winding drum 141) in the direction to wind up the control line 11-1 in approximately the same speed that the tail rope is wound in. This operation is illustrated in Figure 10 in which the winding drum 110 is engaged with the friction pulley 162 to retrieve the control line 141. It will be observed that the control line 14-1 may be also utilized to draw the scraper laterally toward the side wall as it approaches the deflector guide 155 thus avoiding contact with this member and also assist in the rearward turning movement of tho scraper into a position to engage the head frame and take its initial loading position in engagenu-nt therewith for the next cycle of loading operation.

From the above description it will be seen that I provide a combination of moving head frame and controlling device which may be readily controlled by a single operator, stationed in position to manipulate the scraper and changing its course of movemei'it as occasion may arise during the loading operations. The loading operation may thus be carried out in a manner far superior to any arrangement in which the controlling line 111 might be under the control of another operator positioned remote from the head frame, as for instance at the winding engine in the entrance of the room. In the latter case it has been found practically impossible to provide the desired control for the scraper inasmuch as the rooms may be feet, 200 feet, or more in depth and of course the loading operations are conducted in darkness except for the meager light supplied by the miners lamps or the like. By means of the single control the use of signals between the head frame operator and the hoisting engine operator is required only for the starting and stopping of the head rope. By virtue of the simple operation of the turning device it is possible to move the scraper continuously from the time it leaves the head frame until it reaches the unloading position and also in its return movement.

Although I have shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, I do not wish to he understood as limiting myself to the specific construction illustrated herein excepting as specifically limited in the appended claims. It will also be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may vary widely without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and Hut tail.rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper while gathering its load, power devices on said head frame, and a control line operable by said power devices and extending about fixed guide means into engagement with the headrope of the scraper.

2. An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and tail rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper While gathering its load, power devices on said head frame, and a control line operable by said power devices and extending about fixed guide means into engagement with the head rope of the scraper, said control line having permanent connection with said head rope and movable therewithin all permissible positions thereof.

An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and tail rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper while gathering its load, power devices on said head frame, a control line operable by said power devices and extending about fixed guide means into engagement with the head rope of the scraper, and a deflector guide adapted to be positioned at a point intermediate said fixed guide means and said head frame.

4. An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and tail rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper while gathering its load, power devices on said head frame for operating said tail rope, and a control line operable by said power devices independently of said tail rope and extendmg about fixed guide means into engage ment with the head rope of the scraper.

5. An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and tail rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper while gathering a load, power devices on said head frame, a control line connectable with said head rope, and a winding drum for said control line mounted on said head frame and operatively connected with said power devices thereon.

6. An apparatus for handling loose material comprising a scraper having a head and tail rope, a movable head frame having a curved bearing surface adapted to provide lateral support for said scraper while gathing a load, power devices on said head frame, a control line operable by said power de vices, and fixed guide means comprising a pair of vertically spaced guides, one arranged near the mine floor and the other at a point above the mine floor and substantially above the top of the scraper whereby the control line extends from said head frame to said upper guide thence downwardly and around the lower guide and into engagement with said head rope.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 15th day of June, A. D. 1925.

CHARLES E. DAVIS. 

